Who Puts All the Leaven Out?

So good afternoon, everyone. Hope you're having a wonderful high day. And g'day to Mrs. Preston. She said I had to say g'day, so now she's embarrassed. But so g'day.

The leaven of the Pharisees is an interesting phrase. Why did Christ feel compelled to warn his disciples to avoid it?

Would you recognize the leavening of the Pharisees if you saw it today?

The answer to these questions is important not just for the unleavened bread season, but throughout the year. And in some respects, the Pharisees are our not-too-distant cousins.

We can, of course, use them as examples to avoid, but sometimes we should look in the mirror.

We often think if we can talk eloquently enough about the Pharisees, it might just take the attention of us and our own shortcomings. How perfectly have you put every little crumb of sin out of your life this week?

Did you put out all the spiritual leaven?

Who put all the leaven out of their life this week? Did you put it out? Did you put it out yourself?

The sermon today is titled, Who Puts All the Leaven Out?

We're going to examine the leaven of the Pharisees a bit and see how it applies to us. So it's a question. Who puts all the leaven out? Can you fully de-leaven your life yourself?

And I've divided the message up into six easy sections. Try and keep your wake a little bit here this afternoon. Six easy points. And we want to begin by looking at Christ's key warning to us, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. That's point one. What is the leaven of the Pharisees?

What is this leaven of the Pharisees? And you'll find a direct answer in Luke chapter 12. So I'm going to read the first three verses of Luke chapter 12. If you want to follow along with me, Luke 12 verse 1. In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so much so that they trampled one another, he began to say to his disciples first, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy is here described as the leaven of the Pharisees. But we'll see here in a minute. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

How do we define hypocrisy if that's what we are to avoid? Hypocrite comes from the Greek word hypocritis and refers to someone who is acting or pretending. It was the custom of the Greek and Roman stage actors to speak inside large masks with mechanical devices for projecting the force of their voice. And these actors concealing their real faces and changing their real voices were called hypocritis or hypocrites. And Jesus likened the conduct of the Pharisees to actors pretending. Men who were just playing a role.

The Pharisees of Christ day were a very powerful leadership body who claimed to be more zealous and more righteous than the rest of Jewish society. They set themselves up as models of what was right and godly. Yet, in Christ's eyes, their example was actually destructive.

In Christ's estimation, the conduct of these men had a corrupting effect upon those who tried to follow their example. A leavening effect, if you will. And so these masks that hid the real person behind, Christ said, will eventually be removed for all to see the truth of who they really were. So continuing in Luke chapter 12, notice verses 2 and 3. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not become known. Therefore, whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear, what if you have whispered in the inner rooms, will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Here, Christ tells his disciples, in fact, he is telling us as well here today, whatever you have spoken secretly in hypocrisy will be heard in the light. Whatever you have whispered in private rooms that was pharisaical will be proclaimed broadly. This is quite a warning to each of us not to be hypocrites in how we behave in private versus how we behave in public. Kind of a classic definition of hypocrisy, or being pharisaical. Think about a few of these phrases that I'm going to read.

Ponder hypocrisy as a byproduct of leavening, because leavening and hypocrisy are related in Scripture. Now, as I read these, please don't put your hand up if you feel compelled to say it's you, okay? Okay. Do you act very spiritual when in public or at church services, but very differently when others are not around? What's your private life really like? Do you always want to get the credit for anything good that happens? Harry S. Truman so famously said, It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. But so many people want the credit, don't they? Do you first think of yourself when you hear a convicting sermon or read a warning passage of Scripture? Do you say, that's me. I've got to be careful. Or do you instantly think of others and how they need to read that, how they need to listen to that sermon?

Do you first condemn others or do you first pray for them?

Do you follow the impulse to be seen as righteous by your careful obedience in public while ignoring more important matters of the heart?

So our first point is to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees, hypocrisy. The mask will be removed at some point. What is sinful in secret will become known. Next, we'll see who helps us put all the hypocrisy out of our lives. The second point I've titled, full de-leavening is an impossible task. Full de-leavening is an impossible task. There'll be a caveat to that in a minute.

We're going to turn to 1 John chapter 1 and read verse 8 and 9. Another lesson regarding the symbol of leaven is that it is impossible to get rid of all the crumbs completely. Likewise, it is impossible to put all sin out of our lives.

But of course, there's a caveat, isn't there? 1 John 1 verse 8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. The truth is not in us. Yes, we all fall short of the mark of God's law.

We need the sacrifice of Christ to pay the price and put sin out of our lives. We cannot do it by ourselves. Full de-leavening, on our own, is an impossible task. Did you find any leavening in your home, your car, your office this week? What about at a restaurant? Some of us may have done that. We tried very hard a week ago to get rid of it all. But then we find something either very obvious in plain sight. Or hidden that we found later.

I heard the other day that a full box of baking soda was found at the home office. That was actually to clean the drains. Didn't realize it was put away in the cupboard for cleaning the drains. So clean the drains with it real quick. I remember as a kid, back in the late 60s, our pastor was telling a story there in Melbourne, during the Days of Unleavened Bread, about how he was out and about during the Days of Unleavened Bread. And he opened his boot, his trunk, and found a sandwich.

I'm thinking, who carries around sandwiches in their boot? I mean, it was insane. Anyway, he found a sandwich in his car. Dave Perma was telling me during the week at the office that many years ago he had put a cookie into his winter coat. Forgot about it. Of course, hung up his winter jacket for the season. Along came spring, then summer, then the next winter. Gets the jacket out of the cupboard, out of the closet, puts his jacket on.

There's a cookie that had been in there for almost a year, all the way through those Days of Unleavened Bread, neatly tucked away in the closet. It is impossible, it seems, physically to get the leaven out, but it's also impossible spiritually without Jesus Christ. But guess what? It's okay. Look at verse 9. 1 John 1 verse 9.

If we confess our sins, he, Jesus Christ, is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And this is a better job than any vacuum can do. He cleanses us of sin because we cannot get rid of it ourselves. It is impossible. And verse 10, because if we say we haven't sinned, you're calling Jesus Christ a liar. And his word then is not in you. The unleavened bread in the Passover service, and during the Days of Unleavened Bread, represents Jesus Christ and his role in putting sin out of our lives.

And so we take in the bread of life, Jesus Christ. Our main focus for the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, our main focus must be our faith in Christ as that Passover sacrifice for us. Not just in putting the crumbs out of our house, more importantly focusing on who puts the sin out, ultimately for us.

That's our focus, spiritually. So putting out the leaven in our homes this week was a valuable reminder of our need to do our part in putting sin out of our lives. But it's impossible to do completely. And thankfully, as we read in verse 9, Christ cleanses us from it. That's wonderful news. It's great news to read that verse 9. Christ's sacrifice for us cleanses us from all unrighteousness, which we all have much over the years to repent from.

Jesus' brother James tells us how we work hard to do what he's right in James chapter 2. Let me read a few verses for you from James chapter 2. Because we work hard to do what he's right because it then shows our faith in God. If we work hard to put the physical leavening out, then hopefully it'll reflect how hard we'll put out the spiritual leavening too.

James 2 verse 14, what does a prophet my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? You say, I'm really spiritual, so I'm not putting out the leavening this week during unleavened bread. No, you have to show your faith by how you act. If a brother or sister is naked in destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

Verse 17, thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, you have faith and I have works. I say, show me your faith with that. It works, and I will show you my faith by my works. So we show God our conscientious, de-leavening effort, because it then should reflect our spiritual diligence and faith on other matters. And then, of course, Revelation 20 verse 6.

Ultimately for us, the second death, the penalty for sin has no power over those in the first resurrection. The first fruits, the church of God, the saints will be in the first resurrection. And at that time, our sin will finally be completely put out of our lives for all eternity. Revelation 20 verse 6, blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection, over such the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God on Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. This is when we will be fully de-leavened. Thank God every day for this, when we will take on a spirit existence.

Thank God that he will eventually give us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. As we read in Revelation 20 verse 6 there.

And 1 Corinthians 15. Let me read to you verses 56 through 58 of 1 Corinthians 15. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But, verse 57, thanks be to God who gives us the victory. How? Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Passover, the Lamb of God.

And so, thank God for his holy days that serve as annual reminders of the wonderful truths of his great master plan. Yes, full de-leavening is an impossible task, but Jesus Christ's sacrifice upon our repentance cleanses us from all sin. Who puts all the leavening out of our lives? Jesus Christ. Let's look at another aspect of putting the leavening out. Number three, comparing ourselves to others. Comparing ourselves to others.

How often do we say to ourselves when we are critical of someone, well, at least I didn't do that.

We need to be careful not to justify ourselves by comparing ourselves to what other people do.

At least I'm not an adulterer. At least I'm not a liar. At least I'm not a murderer. At least I'm not a crooked politician. At least my kids are well behaved. At least I'm never late for services.

And of course, the list goes on and on, right? It's easy to find people who believe things are going badly for others and their family because that family has not done certain routines properly, like we think they should. And too soon we forget how the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous. What are we really saying when we say those things to ourselves? At least I'm not like that. Notice Luke 18. For a moment, if you would, I'm going to read verses 9 through 14. Luke 18, starting in verse 9. This is exactly what we're talking about here. Luke 18 verse 9. Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Look down on others. Luke 18 verse 10. Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other, of course, a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, I'm not like other men. Extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. Verse 12. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all I possess. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breath, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. And then verse 14. I tell you, said Christ, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. The despised tax collector was justified beyond the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

This passage is a classic example of comparing oneself to another. Here's a great quote that fits in with those verses we just read. The only thing more important than being humble is to look humble.

To look humble, but not actually be humble. Matthew 23. I wanted to turn there for a moment. Matthew 23, verses 5 through 7.

Talking about comparing ourselves to others. Matthew 23, verse 5. But all their works they do to be seen. To be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and be called by men, rabbi, rabbi.

And so we too need to be careful not to justify ourselves by comparing ourselves to other people. At least I'm not a Laodicean. I'm glad I'm a Philadelphian Christian. The rather Christ, not others, Christ is the standard by which we are to judge ourselves. And we all fall woefully short of that standard. None of us are guiltless. None of us are guilt-free when it comes to the standard set by Jesus Christ. And we can only see with our eyes the struggles people have. We can't see their hearts. Only the Father and Jesus Christ can see our hearts. And so, thankfully, God is their judge, not us. We can judge right and wrong actions that we see. We can see actions that may be wrong, but we cannot judge more. We cannot judge motives. We cannot judge hearts. It's impossible. Turn to James 2, if you would. We'll read the first four verses. Because just one generation after Jesus' ministry, the local church was having trouble because they were easily impressed by important people. And this is why Jesus' brother here had to confront the congregation about their favoritism. It's in James 2, verses 1-4. My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings and fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, in verse 3, you pay attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say to him, you sit here in a good place and say to the poor man, you sit over there or sit here at my foot.

Have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? So even the early New Testament church had to be warned about comparing ourselves to others. We must not compare ourselves to others. We must compare ourselves to Jesus Christ. Who put all the leavening out, all the sin, from our lives? Jesus Christ.

Point four, the Sermon on the Mount and Hypocrisy. The Sermon on the Mount and Hypocrisy. It's interesting that early on, Christ very forcefully addressed the issue of hypocrisy in his Sermon on the Mount of Olives. You may not have thought of that before, but we could say that Matthew 6 is a primer on identifying hypocrisy, on identifying 11 of the Pharisees. First, we see in Matthew 6 verse 1, the hypocrites give offerings for the purpose of being seen and admired. Matthew 6 verse 1, take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. But surely, I say to you, they have their reward. So giving offerings for the purpose of being seen. Secondly, hypocrites pray to impress others with loud words and voices. Verse 5, we read, and when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. But surely, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room, and when you shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, don't use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think they'll be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them, for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. And then verse 16, thirdly here, in addition, the hypocrites do all they can to look miserable when they fast. So they'll be admired for their sacrifice and pitied for their discomfort. Here in Matthew 6 verse 16, wherever when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites. But the sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to be fasting. But surely, I see to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, wash your face, so you don't appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. There's a lot in the Sermon on the Mount about hypocrisy and doing things to be seen by others, to look righteous. You notice how many times in these first 16 verses it says, to be seen? Quite a number of times. Christ's message to his disciples was simply this, if you do it this way, men's admiration will be your total reward. Of course, we here today get the point, don't we? This is elementary, we would say, to you and me.

How many of us this morning, during the offertory, saw someone blow a trumpet to announce putting their offering in the basket as it went by? Or loudly jangled a bag full of silver dollars? I didn't see anybody do that, did you? We get it. We're trying to be careful, right? Well, how many of us come to church services on a day with fasting without showering or combing our hair to look so tussled, unshaven and unkempt, that people have to finally ask us, are you fasting today? None of us, right? We get it. This seems elementary to us. But it can actually be a little deeper than this, as you'll see. So, point five is the sermon on the mountain, hypocrisy. Who puts all the leavening, all the hypocrisy out of our lives? Jesus Christ. We cannot do it ourselves. The leavening effect on hypocrisy is far broader and not so obvious as some of these examples we've just read. The sermon on the mount talks about not being hypocritical or pharisaical, but it can be more insidious than that, which leads us to point five, hypocrisy and malice. Hypocrisy and malice. We're going to go over to Matthew chapter 22 for this. Putting the leaven out of our lives completely through Jesus' sacrifice is our goal.

But sometimes the leaven, the sin, the hypocrisy can be a little more insidious and even be malicious. Matthew 22 verse 15. The pharisees went out and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk. So now we're starting to see malicious intent by the pharisees. Malicious intent.

So in verse 16, with flattering words now, they sent to him their disciples with the Herodian saying, Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth, nor do you care about anyone for you do not regard the person of men. You're so impartial, Jesus. Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pray taxes to Caesar or not? So the flattering words are suddenly over. But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, Why do you test me, you hypocrites? The pharisees brought to Christ a coin bearing Caesar's image, and asked him if it was appropriate to pay taxes. The Jews of Christ's time hated the Roman occupation. So to say yes would have alienated the Jews. To say no would be treasonous and open to prosecution by the Roman government. But here in this verse, in these verses here, we see hypocrisy masking malicious intent. They were plotting how they might get him with these questions.

And in these verses, we see the intent of the heart and their appearance were different. Let's see how we can entangle Jesus, they said, of course with smiling faces and flattering words. But really, they were trying to injure Christ. The apostle Paul, who had been a Pharisee before his conversion, could easily see the connection between leaven, hypocrisy, and malicious intent. And it's the verse that we've read a number of times already in 1 Corinthians 5 verse 8.

This verse was written during the Passover season. Corinthians was written to the church at Corinth during the days or at the time of the days of unleavened bread. And Paul understood the connection between leaven, hypocrisy, and malice. Here it is, 1 Corinthians 5 verse 8. Therefore, let us keep the feast, exactly what we've been told to do here today. Not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. So you see, hypocrisy and malice often go together. And right here, we are warned, during the days of unleavened bread, to watch out for the leaven of malice and wickedness. Who puts all this leavening out of our lives? Jesus Christ. And some of it can be malicious and insidious, aiming to entangle others like the Pharisees did to Christ. But instead, Paul reminded us, a man with a Pharisaical background, we must have sincerity and truth, rather. But there's even more to the story of the leaven of the Pharisees. More than hypocrisy, there is 11 of Pharisaical doctrine. Number six, Pharisaical doctrine and leaven. Did you know that Pharisees' doctrines were like leavening? As I mentioned a moment ago, how many of us blew a trumpet when we gave an offering this morning? Who brought in a palette full of silver dollars with a beeping forklift? Can you imagine that? Dowland's trying to play the offertory music here on the piano. Beep, beep, beep. In comes a forklift. With somebody's offering. No. I've never seen anyone blow a trumpet or back up a forklift with their offering. But the leavening effect of hypocrisy is far broader than just loud pronouncements and making a big show. In Matthew 16, if you'll turn there with me, we see how the leaven of the Pharisees goes beyond hypocrisy into their own. And we have to ask ourselves, we have to make sure, does this relate to me? Does it relate to you? We've always got to check ourselves. Because like I said, we don't do that, because that would be a bit too obvious. A forklift? No, I'd do it a little more subtly than that. Here in Matthew 16, follow along. Here in Matthew 16, following the miracle of the fishes and loaves, the Pharisees confronted Jesus as they sought a sign. He called them hypocrites to their faces and offered no sign but the sign of Jonah, that he would be three days and three nights in the grave. That's in Matthew 16, verses 1-4. But now look at what happens next. Matthew 16, verse 5. Now, when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. And Jesus said to them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Because the Sadducees are on the list now. And the reason among themselves saying it is because we've taken no bread. We should have gone to Kroger.

And the reason among themselves saying it's because we've taken no bread. Verse 8. But Jesus being aware of it said to them, O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you've brought no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Because the previous chapter he just produced all this food out of thin air. Verse 10. Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up after that. How is it? Verse 11. You do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread, but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. And then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples did not at first understand what he meant. Christ called the Pharisees hypocrites there in verse 3 when they asked for a sign, but the disciples didn't automatically get the connection. It's quite likely the disciples were blinded initially by a guilty conscience. They may have thought they received a scolding because no one had remembered to purchase food for the group. They're in verse 7. Of course then Christ explained he wasn't dependent. Upon what they remembered, whether they remembered or not, to buy groceries. After all, had he just fed a huge multitude. He reminded them I just fed a huge multitude with seven loaves and a few fish. And so here in this story, this account with their guilty consciences relieved, they hid upon his true intent, which is described in verse 12. They understood he wanted them to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The leaven of the Pharisees is more than hypocrisy. It's also their doctrine. But how or why is their doctrine equated to leaven? There is a link between the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the doctrines of the Pharisees. And that leads us to Mark chapter 7. The clearest connection between the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and their doctrine is seen in Mark chapter 7 verses 1 through 9, where the Pharisees complained about the disciples eating with unwashed hands. Now this doesn't mean they just had a little mud on their fingers. This doesn't mean they hadn't washed their hands before they ate. This is something a little different. Mark 7 verse 1, then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to him, having come from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of Jesus' disciples eat bread with defiled hands, that is, with unwashed hands they found fault. So it wasn't because they had a little dirt under their fingernails. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat, the Pharisees do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. So the Pharisees said, before you sit down to eat, here's the way you have to wash your hands, a very special way.

Verse 4, when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches, of course, all in special ways. Don't sit on that couch, I've got to wash it properly.

Verse 5, when the Pharisees inscribed, asked him, why do your disciples, Jesus, not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? In other words, without this special washing, this ceremonial washing. And he answered them in verse 6, boy did Isaiah prophesy about you guys. Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites. As it is written, this people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And verse 7, in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men. The washing of pitchers and cups and many other such things you do. And he said to them, while all too well you reject the commandment of God, you may keep your tradition.

So here we come to understand that the traditions, the rulings, passed them by generation after generation of Pharisees by wise men of the Pharisaical tradition took on the power of law. To the point of being in opposition sometimes to God's commandments.

To the mind of a Pharisee, the sayings of their elders were as binding as the scriptures. In fact, Christ implies here they were even seen as more binding than the law of God, if the two would come into conflict.

Eventually, about 200 years after Jesus' death, see these were all oral traditions, stories passed on by the Pharisees down through the generations, but eventually these traditions were written down about 200 years after Christ died into what is today called the Talmud. It contains rules and regulations many times longer than our entire Bible. All the rules and regulations. The Jerusalem Talmud, also known as the Talmud of the Land of Israel, is a collection of rabbinic notes on the second century Jewish oral tradition known as the Mishnah. The Talmud has two parts, the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah was finalized around 200 AD. And the Gemara contains the written discussions of generations of rabbis of the Talmudic academies. Very lofty stuff.

But the Talmud was often seen as even more binding than scripture. And to Christ, this was hypocritical. How can a body of men, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who claim to be the most righteous observers of the law of God, create traditions that nullify the law of God?

And then still claim to be righteous. That didn't make sense. Christ saw their doctrines, in this case, as hypocritical. And then continue on down through verse 13. Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which you have handed down, and many such things you do. So just plates and cups on couches wasn't the only thing. Many things like this they did. That were superior to scripture, they thought.

Jesus' final summation was that in many areas of advice, ruling and even law, they had put aside the law of God, preferring their traditions instead. And to Christ, this was hypocritical of a body that claimed superior righteousness. Do we have any traditions of our own that go beyond scripture? Only you and I can answer that question for ourselves. If we have any traditions that go beyond scripture, that would nullify the law of God in some way. Who puts all the leavening or the hypocrisy out of your life? Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Remember, we cannot do it by ourselves or by our own traditions and rituals. That won't make you righteous either, is what he's telling the Pharisees. Point seven, the last one, Pharisaical doctrine and leaven today. Pharisaical doctrine and leaven today. Modern-day Pharisees. Many of us get our matzos from the Manushevitz brand, found in supermarkets today. Many years ago, a newspaper reporter asked Manushevitz rabbi-in-residence, Rabbi Horowitz, about what appeared to be a contradiction to the biblical law regarding no leavening during the days of unleavened bread. One of the ingredients for Manushevitz brand cakes and cookies produced for Passover has the ingredient sodium bicarbonate. There is baking soda in some Manushevitz branded foods for unleavened bread. So the reporter asked the rabbi, isn't that leavening? The rabbi said, Rabbi Horowitz said, it may look that way, but appearances can deceive. The rabbis decided that matzo, once certified as kosher for Passover, can never be depassurized. Not even by later contact with baking soda. He said, all of the Manushevitz mixes start with Passover matzo meal that by definition can't be ritually contaminated by baking soda. Most people don't understand that, Rabbi Horowitz said. He said, it's not a question what it looks like. He said, it's a question of what the rabbis call it. So here is a modern day example of rabbis deciding that they can add leavening after the fact to previously certified unleavened dough. So they certify it, say it's for Passover, finish the prayer, then throw a little baking soda in. And it's okay. Traditions of men still being handed down to this day. So watch the box at Kroger. Notice these items about Passover from kabard.org.

Kabard is a division of the Kabard Lubavitch Media Center. Here's one of their rules. Only matzo that's certified for Passover use is acceptable. The box may look similar, and I may even have Hebrew letters all over it, but they say if there's no seal from a supervising rabbi stating that the matzo is actually kosher for Passover, you can assume that no care was taken to ensure that the dough did not become chametz and it may not be eaten on Passover. So it has to be blessed by a rabbi. Another one, stop eating it a while before Passover. The long-established practice is to not eat matzo on the day before Passover so that when we eat it at the Seder, it feels new and exciting. Some stop eating it two weeks or even a full month in advance, giving plenty of time to build up our matzo appetites. Where in the Bible does it say your matzo must be blessed by a rabbi? Search all day.

Where does it say we must not eat it for lunch on the day before unleavened bread? Where does it say you can't eat it any other time during the year? Remember, Mark 7, 7 says, and in vain they worship me. Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. It's an example of Pharisaical doctrine and living even today. Let's look at another example of Pharisees in Lev. 11 today. You and me. Think about a few more of these phrases I'm going to read. Once again, don't put your hand up if you feel compelled to repent before us here today, because remember we must measure ourselves to the life of Christ. Are you continually speaking to others about the shortcomings of others, but never see your own shortcomings? That's something we all struggle with. It's easy to say, did you know what so and so did?

Do you acknowledge you cannot read someone's heart, and that looks can be deceiving? May not be what it appears. Do you ask for forgiveness from the people you have wronged? Do you accept correction when warranted, and then apply the truth to your life?

Do you cut people's slack when they mess up, and acknowledge when they are learning and growing?

A really big part of the problem for Pharisees today is that they don't even know they are one. They are so busy looking down on others, being hypocritical and worried about external appearances to be seen by men. So much so, they cannot see they are the very people whom Christ is condemning. As we conclude the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread here in a few hours, may we learn from the cautionary words of Christ, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. There are so many aspects to that. We've just uncovered a few of them here today. Who puts all the leavening or the hypocrisy or the sin out of our lives? Only Jesus Christ. No matter how carefully you vacuum your life, you cannot put all the sin out without Christ. What things in your life may be considered Pharisaical, hypocritical, or even malicious or leavened? So remember our key points today. Number one, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Secondly, full deleavening is an impossible task without God. Number three, don't compare ourselves to others. Before the text of the Sermon on the Mount is often about hypocrisy. Five, note the relationship between hypocrisy and malice. Instead, we seek sincerity and truth, right? Number six, the link between Pharisaical doctrine and leaven. And finally, Pharisaical doctrine and leaven today, including you and me at times. Being a little Pharisaical. Who puts all the leavening or the hypocrisy or the sin out of our lives? Remember it's our past server, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. And during our days of self-examination and introspection, may we all determine all the more to worship God with sincere, truthful, truthful, and honest heart, coupled with respect for both the letter and the Spirit of the Word of God, and all the while being filled with the bread of life, Jesus Christ.